PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Bucks County man is suing nearly a dozen of the largest snack food makers in the country, claiming the companies market dangerous and addictive products to children.
When Bryce Martinez was 16 years old, he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease — two diseases that the lawsuit, filed in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas, claims did not exist in children before ultra-processed foods became widely available.
Lawyers for Martinez said he regularly consumed a variety of ultra-processed foods, like Crystal Light, Oreos, Hot Pockets, Cheez-Its, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Bagel Bites, and so on.
The lawsuit claims Martinez is one of many victims who are dealing with health issues related to ultra-processed foods. Health professionals have said highly processed foods are unhealthy, but Martinez’s lawsuit goes a step further, alleging the products are addictive.
The suit also says snack food marketing campaigns that involve cartoon characters and celebrities are the same tactics used by cigarette companies decades ago.
Of the 11 corporations being sued, eight are headquartered in Delaware, including Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Mars, General Mills, Conagra Brands, and Kellanova and WK Kellogg, both formerly of the Kellogg Company.
Consumer Brands Association, which represents many of the companies named in the lawsuit, told KYW Newsradio, “Attempting to classify foods as unhealthy simply because they are processed, or demonizing food by ignoring its full nutrient content, misleads consumers and exacerbates health disparities.”